Alexander Dunlap is a Research Scientist at Boston University's Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) and a visiting research fellow at the University of Helsinki's Global Development Studies department. He holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, an MSc in Modules from the University of Sussex (UK), an MA in Environment, Development and Policy from Sussex, and a BS in Political Science from Portland State University (USA). His work critically examines energy transitions, extractive industries, and the socioecological impacts of green capitalism. Research Interests: Political ecology of low-carbon technologies Green extractivism in global contexts Decolonial and anarchist approaches to sustainability State violence and counterinsurgency tactics Environmental justice in renewable energy projects Publications: Dunlap’s recent work focuses on solar energy injustices in California, industrial solar manufacturing in Ohio, and the militarization of nature. His articles interrogate how 'green' infrastructure reinforces colonial and capitalist systems, often through spatial dispossession and anti-Indigenous violence. Labs/Teams: Active in IGS research clusters studying infrastructural harm and energy justice. Co-editor of Human Geography , a journal promoting radical interdisciplinary scholarship. Future Work: Continuing research on solar project lifecycles, particularly mining-to-decommissioning impacts, and expanding analysis of Europe’s energy grid conflicts.
Professor Julie Cupples is a Personal Chair of Human Geography & Cultural Studies at the School of Geosciences , University of Edinburgh. She actively supervises PhD students and focuses on interdisciplinary research at the intersections of cultural geography, media studies, and Latin American decolonial theory. Her work critically examines Indigenous and Afrodescendant media, neoliberalism, environmental justice, and popular geopolitics in Latin America and Aotearoa New Zealand. University of Edinburgh, School of Geosciences (since 2013) Her research spans cultural geography , media convergence , and disaster studies , with a strong emphasis on social justice. She co-authored Transmedia Geographies (2025) and Shifting Nicaraguan Mediascapes (2018), and has edited volumes on Latin American development and urban marginality. She is a member of the Creole Connections project, mapping cultural ties across the Caribbean and Central America. Professor Cupples has served on editorial boards for journals like Gender, Place and Culture and Media Studies . She is also an executive producer for the upcoming film Cordillera de Fuego . Her activism and research intersect in her work on Nicaraguan human rights, including advocacy for political prisoners like Irving Larios. She has publicly opposed the Ortega-Murillo regime’s authoritarian practices and contributed to debates on academic integrity and anti-predatory publishing. Senior Fellowship (Dialogical Cultures, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, 2022)
Jens Friis Lund is a Professor at the Department of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO) , University of Copenhagen , specializing in global development economics. His research spans sustainable development, environmental economics, and global agrifood systems. Email: jens@ifro.ku.dk Location: Rolighedsvej 23, Frederiksberg C Phone: +4535331767 Recent publications focus on: Industrial heritage transformation impacts on urban economies Climate change adaptation strategies in Kenyan drylands Behavioral insights in food system modelling Traditional knowledge preservation in West African shea markets
Professor Marcus Power is a distinguished academic in the Department of Geography at Durham University, specializing in the geopolitical dimensions of development. His career spans over two decades with significant contributions to understanding the intersections of space, power, and development processes, particularly focusing on Southern Africa and China-Africa relations. Power's research interests encompass energy geographies and low carbon transitions, critical geographies of postdevelopment, post-colonial studies with focus on Portugal and Lusophone Africa, post-socialist transformations in Southern Africa, China-Africa engagement, and the relationship between visual culture and geopolitics. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary development challenges, examining how development discourses have evolved from the Enlightenment through the Cold War to the present era. His most recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on the financialization of development, South-South cooperation dynamics, and energy transitions in Africa. Power's research demonstrates a consistent focus on how geopolitical imaginaries shape development practices, with particular attention to China's growing role in African development and the implications for traditional development paradigms. His work increasingly examines the material manifestations of development through infrastructure, particularly in energy systems. Principal Investigator for ESRC-funded project on China's Resource Diplomacy in Africa Principal Investigator for ESRC-funded project on China, Brazil and India's role in low carbon energy systems in Southern Africa Co-Investigator for GCRF-funded Sajag-Nepal project on mountain hazard preparedness Co-Investigator for GCRF-funded CESET project on Community Energy Systems in Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique Power supervises doctoral students including Huixuan Huang, Sheng Xuan, and Shuyue Xie, focusing on topics related to China-Africa relations, energy transitions, and development geographies. His academic journey began with a PhD from the University of Birmingham (1994-1997), preceded by an MA with distinction from Royal Holloway, University of London, and a BA in Geography from Newcastle University.
Dr. Alexander Horstmann is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Sociology at Bielefeld University, specializing in the Sociology of Transnationalization and Social Anthropology under the Missbach Research Group. His work bridges global migration patterns, ethnic minority dynamics, and transnational humanitarian practices. Education : Not explicitly stated in the provided texts. Horstmann’s research focuses on forced migration and humanitarianism in Southeast Asia, particularly among the Karen ethnic minority in Northwest Thailand and Northeast Myanmar. He traces refugee journeys from camps to Western destinations, analyzing transnational networks , postcolonial migration , and local aid mechanisms . His teaching spans peace and development , postdevelopment critiques , and politics of humanitarianism . His recent publications include co-edited volumes like Building Noah's Ark (2022) and Routledge Handbook of Southeast Asian Borderlands (2023), with a monograph on Vernacular Humanitarianism (2025) in progress. Research also covers charismatic Buddhism in Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, as well as Puer tea cultures intersecting with China’s Belt and Road Project. Email : alexander.horstmann@uni-bielefeld.de Location : Building X, Main Street, Level C2 (Mailbox No. 391) Phone : +49 521 106-4639 His work engages with borderland studies , ritual exchange , and transnational aid systems , often challenging conventional frameworks for migration and development. Current projects explore how ethnic minority resilience and local religious practices intersect with global economic and political forces.
Chizu Sato is a Lecturer and Researcher in the Cultural Geography group at Wageningen University, affiliated with the Sociology of Consumption and Households department. She specializes in transnational feminism, political ecology, and international development, focusing on gendered dimensions of socio-ecological wellbeing. Her work examines empowerment strategies among women in global South and North contexts, emphasizing interdependencies between human and nonhuman actors. Member of EU H2020 WEGO project (Well-being, Ecology, Gender, and Community) Coordination team for the 8th International Degrowth Conference on Caring Communities Editorial board member of Rethinking Marxism Research interests include feminist political ecology, moral economies, and critiques of development paradigms. She employs transnational feminist methodologies to analyze grassroots initiatives like women-led cooperatives and rural enterprises in Mexico, Ghana, Japan, and Cuba. Recent work explores postcapitalist approaches to commons governance and degrowth movements. Publications span topics such as migration's gendered impacts, corporate partnerships in empowerment programs, and ethical subjectivities in resource management. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges geography, sociology, and feminist theory to address systemic inequalities and ecological sustainability.
Kevin Glynn is an Associate Professor in the Geography and Environmental Sciences Department at Northumbria University, UK. His interdisciplinary work bridges cultural studies, media studies, and human geography, focusing on media-rich cultural environments, media-political intersections, and decolonial struggles. He holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has taught globally across media, communication, and geography programs. Glynn leads the UKRI-funded £3.75M 'Ixchel' project exploring media convergence and decoloniality in Guatemala and the UK, and previously directed a Marsden Fund grant on media convergence geographies. Education: PhD in Media & Cultural Studies (University of Wisconsin-Madison), MA in Politics (same institution). His research has won awards including the Urban Communication Foundation’s Jane Jacobs Award. Key publications include Transmedia Geographies (2025), Tabloid Culture (2000), and co-authored works on Nicaraguan mediascapes and media-geography intersections. Glynn’s work appears in top journals like Cultural Studies , Gender, Place and Culture , and Antipode . Grants: UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund (2021-2025), Marsden Fund ($800k, 2013-2016). Collaborations include interdisciplinary teams at University of Edinburgh, UC Santa Barbara, and University of Texas-Austin. Recent projects include the feature film Cordillera de Fuego (2025) examining Guatemalan resilience through media.
Dr. S. A. Hamed Hosseini is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Newcastle , affiliated with the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences . He specializes in post-capitalist alternatives, critical globalization studies, and transformative social theory. PhD in Sociology and Global Studies (Australian National University, 2006) Graduate Teaching Program Certificate (Australian National University) Research Interests focus on: Post-Capitalist Futures: Pioneering Commonist Value Theory and Transversal Cosmopolitanism to reimagine social/economic systems. Well-Living Paradigm: Decolonial approach to quality of life metrics. Methodological Innovation: Combines social network analysis, structural equation modeling, and Big Data analytics. Scientific Contributions include: Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science Lead Editor of The Routledge Handbook of Transformative Global Studies (2020) Researcher on Muslim diaspora, social equity, and post-growth economies Grants from Australian government and institutional bodies Advisory offers supervision in: Post-Capitalist Policy Climate Justice Initiatives Big Data & Social Movements Transformative Educational Systems
Parisa Nourani Rinaldi is an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Department at St. Mary's College of Maryland. Her interdisciplinary work focuses on humanity's relationship with nature, particularly in extractive frontiers of Colombia and the Chesapeake region. She holds an MS in Geosciences from Georgia State University and a BS in Environmental Studies from Emory University. Dr. Rinaldi's research integrates water justice, climate humanities, and coastal resilience through ethnographic methods and discourse analysis. Her dissertation explored water science and democracy in Colombia's extractive regions, addressing fracking debates and post-extractivist discourses. She teaches courses on participatory GIS, Latin American environmental thought, and climate change's emotional dimensions. Her recent publications analyze media narratives around fracking, transdisciplinary water governance, and decolonial environmental practices. She maintains affiliations with the American Association of Geographers and has taught at three Colombian universities. Research interests include Buen vivir philosophy, petroleum landscapes, and uncertainty management in environmental decision-making. Though no specific grants or awards are listed, her work bridges geosciences with humanities to address global environmental challenges.
Paola Minoia is an Adjunct Professor in Development Studies at the University of Helsinki , affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences , Helsinki Inequality Initiative (INEQ) , and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS) . She also serves as an Associate Professor at Università degli Studi di Torino . Research Focus: Decoloniality, intercultural education, socio-ecology, indigenous rights in Amazonia, tourism gentrification, and environmental politics. Ongoing Projects: Eco-Cultural Pluralism in Ecuadorian Amazonia (2018–2022), Decolonising Development (2020–2024), and Post-Development Geographies of Food Systems (2023–2026). Her work bridges geography and development studies , emphasizing epistemic justice and plurinationality . Recent publications analyze decolonizing education , territorial mobility , and platform-mediated tourism through a critical lens. She has received the Emerald Literati Network Highly Commended Award (2010) and actively mentors doctoral students in social sciences. Her research spans Ecuador , Kenya , Morocco , and Italy , often addressing post-development and community-based conservation .
Dr. Verónica Tello is a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Art History at the School of Art & Design, University of New South Wales (UNSW), where she also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Art. She is the Chief Investigator for the Australian Research Council project Parallel Structures (2021-2025), which critically engages with diversity and inclusion discourses in Anglo-Australian art museums through para-institutional curatorial practices developed in partnership with the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA). Dr. Tello earned her PhD in Art History from the University of Melbourne in 2014, following a BA (Honours) in Art History from the same institution. Her academic journey includes a Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at UNSW (2015-2018) and a PLuS Alliance Research Fellowship. Dr. Tello's research spans Latin American and global art historiography with particular focus on queer methodologies, diasporic art practices, and archival research. Her work examines how art and curatorial practices respond to historical trauma, particularly in contexts of displacement and authoritarian regimes. She has developed significant expertise in Chilean conceptual art during the Pinochet dictatorship (1973-1990), analyzing how artists created transnational exhibition circuits that documented art's globalization under neoliberal economic systems. Her research also explores Oceanic and South Pacific art histories, time and memory studies through queer and decolonial frameworks, and border studies in transnational contexts. Her scholarly publications demonstrate a consistent engagement with refugee histories, counter-memorial aesthetics, and the politics of contemporary art. Recent work has increasingly focused on para-institutional practices that challenge traditional museum structures while advancing structural change through collaborations with diasporic and Indigenous communities. The thematic threads connecting her research include diaspora studies, decolonial theory, queer temporalities, transnational art networks, and critical museum studies. Dr. Tello has received significant research support including: Australian Research Council Linkage Project (2021-2025) as Lead Researcher for Parallel Structures UNSW Sabbatical Research Grant (2023) for An Archive of Neoliberalism; A History of Contemporary Art (1973-) UNSW Art & Design faculty research development grant (2022-2021) Creative Australia Individual Project Grant (2019) PLuS Alliance Research Fellowship (2019) Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at UNSW (2015-2018) As a dedicated supervisor, Dr. Tello chairs panels and supervises graduate students working on diverse topics including diasporic, decolonial, trans, and queer curatorial and artistic methodologies in Australian, Asian, and Latin American contexts. Her current PhD candidates explore Filipinx contemporary art, world-making strategies in Australian curatorial practice, and queer histories through para-fiction. She has successfully guided numerous students to completion, with research focusing on labor in poster collectives, insomniac aesthetics, decolonialization in contemporary Australian art, and fugitive subjectivity in essay-films. Dr. Tello leads the curatorial research project Parallel Structures in collaboration with Salote Tawale and Ien Ang, working with diasporic and Indigenous researchers and curators to develop 'para-institutional' approaches that work alongside rather than within traditional museum structures. This project represents a significant contribution to experimental museum studies and diversity initiatives in the Australian art sector.
Stasja Koot is an Assistant Professor at the Sociology of Development and Change group, Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and also serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Geography, Environmental Management & Energy Studies at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Her academic journey began with MA degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Studies, followed by extensive fieldwork in Namibia where she supported the Hai//om ethnic group in establishing Treesleeper Camp, a community-based ecotourism initiative. Her research expertise spans Political ecology, Indigenous studies, Tourism, Development sociology, Anthropology, Nature conservation, Wildlife management, and Southern Africa studies . Koot's work critically examines the intersections of conservation, tourism, and indigenous rights in southern Africa, with particular attention to power dynamics, colonial legacies, and alternative conservation models. Her recent publications reveal a growing focus on convivial conservation approaches as alternatives to market-driven conservation models. Her scholarly output demonstrates consistent engagement with critical issues in conservation politics, including epistemological violence against social science research, limitations of community-based ecotourism, and the unsustainability of southern Africa's wildlife economy. Koot's work increasingly incorporates African philosophical concepts like ubuntu as frameworks for reimagining human-nature relationships. She has played significant organizational roles including chairing the Programme Committee of the Master of Tourism and serving on the advisory board of the Political Ecology Network (POLLEN). Koot previously held positions as a Postdoctoral researcher at the International Institute for Social Studies (The Hague) and as a Tourism and Research Lecturer at InHolland University of Applied Sciences.
Bhavya Chitranshi is a researcher at Western Sydney University with a Doctor of Philosophy. Their work focuses on sustainable development, digital identities, and social justice, particularly in contexts involving marginalized communities. They have contributed to UN Sustainable Development Goals through interdisciplinary research. Research Interests Bhavya's research spans digital literacies, gender studies, healthcare technology, and postcapitalist theories. They investigate how technology mediates social relations, especially for South Asian women and refugee communities. Recent work explores rural futures, climate adaptation, and Indigenous histories in Australia and India. Key Contributions Recent publications include studies on pandemic-era healthcare apps, pedagogical frameworks for socio-technical justice, and refugee engagement with First Nations issues. They co-authored reports on sustainability practices in Western Sydney and Adivasi women's collectives.
Professor George Curry is a Geographer and faculty member at Curtin University's School of Design and the Built Environment. His primary academic role is as a Professor focusing on Development Studies, migration, rural geography, and research methods. He holds a PhD in Geography from the University of New England (1992). His research emphasizes socio-cultural and economic change in Papua New Guinea, particularly examining transitions to market economies through a sustainable livelihoods lens. Key projects include studies on smallholder cocoa, coffee, and oil palm production, labor migration impacts, and innovation adoption in farming households. Current affiliations include a FIAS fellowship at Montpellier (2024-2025) and collaborations with UMR-Innovation (CIRAD, France) and the Pacific Livelihoods Research Group. Research grants include major ACIAR-funded projects totaling over AUD 8 million, focusing on livelihood improvements for smallholder communities. Notable projects include analyzing coffee supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigating land tenure dynamics in oil palm frontier regions. Awards include his FIAS fellowship, which supports advanced research through European Union funding. His work bridges academic disciplines, integrating geography, anthropology, and development studies to address complex rural challenges in the Pacific region.
